The Italian government will start to increase spending on emergency funds this week to deal with the earthquakes that have struck the country, independent of a European Commission request to reduce its structural deficit. EURACTIV’s partner Milano Finanza reports.

Since then, several powerful quakes have rocked the region, leaving thousands of people homeless for months at a time.

In one deadly episode, four earthquakes hit central Italy on 18 January. About three hours later, an avalanche slammed into the Hotel Rigopiano, burying the structure in rock and snow and killing 29 people.

The European Commission had unblocked an initial €30 million on November 29, the maximum amount available while awaiting Italy’s full estimate.

The cost will also weigh on Rome’s discussions with Brussels over Italy’s 2017 budget targets.

The country says the quakes, along with the influx of migrants seeking to enter Europe, are exceptional events that should allow the country to ease up on deficit reduction targets.

Italy set up a fund to help African countries better seal their borders in a bid to keep migrants from boarding flimsy and often deadly rubber boats bound for Europe, its foreign minister said today (1 February).

The EU had wanted Italy to reduce its deficit to 1.8% of GDP, but Rome wanted to raise this to 2.3%.

But it appears the Italian government has agreed to find an additional €3.4 billion of savings, to bring the deficit to 2.1% of GDP.